Reconsidering the Superhero

Finally this week we're “Reconsidering the Superhero” which probably rivals manga week for my favorite of the semester.  Obviously we're not dealing with the typical super hero affair, but with most of these comics, a more realistic approach to what a “superhero” would more likely be.  This week I read Alan Moore's Watchmen, which has instantly turned into one of my favorite comics ever.

I think works like Watchmen or Kingdom Come really solidify the fact that comics are a legitimate form of art, which is commonly overlooked due to the market being overly saturated by extremely violent and unintelligent comics that are shoveled into the reader's view.

In Watchmen, Moore explores the psychology and social impact of superheroes as if they were to exist in the real world, while in a way dissipating the common conception that readers have about the practically Utopian worlds that most superheroes seem to inhabit.  Moore looks at superheroes who's sense of justice is hindered by real moral decisions and human desires. I think Rorschach is probably one of the more interesting and realistic depictions, displaying an almost Batman like quality, but he's taken it a step further and let his obsession, take over his life, turning into what most would consider a lunatic.  The Comedian is a great example of human flaws and moral inadequacies, when he has sex with the Vietnamese woman impregnating her and instead of dealing with the issue in a “superhero” way he kills her.  Even Nite Owl and Silk Spectre have their own realistic problems to over come in reference to their love interests, which are ideas I've never seen in any other comic.

There is so many complex themes present in Watchmen that I can't discuss them all.  Moore's argument that everything that we perceive as a positive in the world must also come with a negative aspect was especially prevalent. Another argument he makes is that despite mankind's best effort we can do nothing to alter our path into the future.  He cleverly uses puns through out the novel in order to convey his idea that it's human nature to ignore problems in order to look past the negative reality of their current situation.

Moore's perception of the world and different ideas associated with those perceptions are clearly the reason on would find Watchmen to be a great novel.  Dave Gibbons does a good job of illustrating the book and keeping everything tangible with colorful art and realistic facial expressions that carry over from one personality to the next.  Watchmen is definitely not an art comic and though the art is adequate it could easily work as a fiction novel written entirely with Moore's words alone.

Anyways, Thanksgiving was yesterday and I'm still in a food coma... though I've thoroughly enjoyed this week of reading I will have to sign off!